Hi everyone!! Today is Sample Sunday as I offer a sample of my upcoming book, How Deep Is Your Love. This is the third book from The Love Chronicles series as Andie and Dexter adjust to life four years later after their move to Connecticut.

There are some major changes between the two as they try to piece together the life they once had before the chaos started.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of the story, which is from Andie’s POV. This excerpt is unedited. Enjoy! 🙂

August, 2039

“What did I do to deserve this?” I asked myself.

I took a look around my tiny studio apartment that I share with my roommate and sighed before going into the kitchen. Actually, it was more of a very small kitchenette. Even smaller than the one I’d shared with my bestie, Mashawn at Smith.

I opened the mini fridge and grabbed a bottled water. I took another deep breath, realizing I didn’t’ have any groceries. Oh well, I couldn’t do much about that since I just paid rent on this crummy apartment. Maybe my roommate will buy something. She makes more money than I do, so she should be able to.

It was four years after Dexter and I had left our families to be on our own in Connecticut. Gosh, it felt as if that was centuries ago. So many emotions were going through me at that time. I was about to embark on a new journey with the love of my life. No one could tell us anything since we felt we were grown and could conquer the world on our own. Now, I wished I did listen to everyone. Either that, or someone could have knocked some sense into me. Either way, what I’d experienced during that time was just a lesson learned. Whether I wanted to or not, it was time for me to move on.

There was one thing that I’m glad I’d fulfilled and that was my dream to go to New York. Once I graduated from Yale, I was offered an internship at The Daily News. That was one of the proudest moments that I’ve ever experienced. Everyone was so excited for me and felt I deserved it. I damn sure did deserve it, especially with all of the hard work and hours I had to put in.

Unfortunately, that moment was short lived when I was informed that the current intern from The Daily News screwed up the entire process by selecting myself and another graduate into the program. The program only had one slot available, so since the other person was chosen first, that pretty much left me out of the running.

As soon as I was about to pack up and move back home, I got a call from The Region, asking if I wanted to intern with them. Since it was a paid gig, I figured why not.

Big mistake that was.

The position sucked. It sucked so bad I wanted to walk out on my first day. Instead of me learning about the industry, I was basically the damn golfer. There was even one “job” I had to do which involved one of the editor’s dogs. If I ever see another shitzu again, I will go nuts. And I used to love dogs.

I knew that was risk I had to take by being an intern, but I didn’t think it would be this intense. I’m pretty sure this was karma for what happened between Dex and me. I know that’s not true, but in the back of my mind, I felt I deserved it after how I treated him. I regret what I did, but I can’t change it now.

I sat down on the couch and picked up the TV remote. While trying to find something to watch, my mind started to drift off to the time when Dexter and I stayed together. It was nice at first, but as time went on, our insecurities got in the way of our relationship. Or maybe it was just our personalities that caused our problems. Either way, our happy honeymoon turned into a nightmare that the two of us were trying to wake up from. After awhile, we finally did, which was bittersweet, but it had to been done.

I slowly kicked off my work pumps and relaxed. I wished I had something stronger, but I guess water will have to do. I wasn’t a drinker at first, but since I took this position, I found myself taking a drink almost every night. I shouldn’t complain, though. If I wanted a decent job as a reporter, I had to have some kind of experience, so if I had to be a golfer for six more months, than I just had to.

Figuring I wasn’t going to watch TV, I turned it off and grabbed the mail that was accumulating on my ottoman. I haven’t opened it in days, but I figured I didn’t have anything important anyway.

I took my bottled water and went to sit out on the patio. That was the best thing about this place. After having a bad day, I could take one look at the skyline and the liveiness of New York City and it’ll make me feel better. This was what I wanted, to live in New York and experience being a New Yorker. I wanted to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the city, which was good, but a part of me wished was it really worth it? Was it worth losing my happiness over? Do I regret everything that I had experienced to be living in a studio apartment and doing crap jobs for snoozy editors?

I put my elbows onto the balcony and looked at the night sky. Maybe it wasn’t worth it, but at least I could say I went after my dream.

I looked down at the mail on the table when a silver envelope caught my attention. I picked it up and saw it was addressed from Regina. I stared at it, wondering why would she send me anything. After what happened between Dex and me, the two of us kind of drifted apart. I missed the conversations I used to have with her. I always ask Mashawn how she and her boyfriend, Damien, was doing, which she always replied that they’re doing fine.

I tore open the envelope, seeing it was a wedding invite.

“Wow. Regina and Damien are getting married.”

I continued to look at the invitation when suddenly tears were streaming down my cheeks. I don’t know why I was crying. I wiped the tears from my face and continued reading. The wedding was going to be held in two weeks at LL, which from my understanding was where Uncle Charles and Aunt Tia had their wedding. I remembered my mom telling me since there was an issue between her and Tia about it.

I glanced at the invite again, wondering if I should go. Although the internship offers no vacation days, I could always go Friday evening and return Sunday. That’ll give me a chance to see my parents and Mashawn. But I’ll also see Dexter, which I was trying to avoid. Unless he doesn’t come.

Why wouldn’t he? That’s his sister.

I sighed and ripped the invitation in half. I don’t know why I was entertaining that thought of going. There was no way I was going.

I can’t face Dexter. Not now and not ever.

How Deep Is Your Love will be available only on Amazon on October 25th. This title will not be on pre-order, but I will keep you all inform when the story is live on the site. 🙂